Gives states the flexibility to safely confront highway capacity issues by utilizing more productive, six-axle trucks on Interstate highways within their borders. Each state would have the option to set Interstate System weight limits of up to 91,000 pounds, but only for vehicles equipped with six axles rather than the typical five. These vehicles are no bigger or longer than standard 80,000-pound five-axle trucks.

Would improve road safety. The U.S. DOT found that the SAFE Trucking Act configuration features comparable handling characteristics and improved braking ability, stopping one foot faster than the 80,000-pound five-axle truck currently used throughout the nation. The SAFE Trucking Act also enables the U.S. DOT to require additional safety equipment for these vehicles, creating a world-class standard vehicle for the movement of heavy goods.

Would yield significant pavement wear savings—as much as 4.2 percent of total pavement restoration budgets—by decreasing the weight per-axle and per-tire.

Would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fuel needed to meet demand. The U.S. DOT estimates implementation of the 91,000-pound six-axle configuration would result in a decline in fuel use, carbon dioxide emissions and emissions of nitrogen oxide.

The SAFE Trucking Act configuration is “federal bridge formula compliant”—meaning that it meets weight distribution requirements for vehicles traveling on bridges on the Interstate Highway System. The U.S. DOT also found that wide use of the SAFE Trucking Act configuration would not cause any increase in one-time rehabilitation costs for Interstate bridges.

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About CTP

The Coalition for Transportation Productivity (CTP) is a coalition of
about 200 shippers and allied associations dedicated to increasing the
federal vehicle weight limit to 97,000 pounds for vehicles equipped with
an additional (sixth) axle.